Matadors Drop Home Contest to Gauchos, 74-58

Thursday, February 19

Northridge, Calif

6:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

8-16,4-11Big West

UC Santa Barbara

18-7,10-6Big West

UC Santa Barbara

CSUN

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

Matadors Drop Home Contest to Gauchos, 74-58

2/19/2026 11:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN women's basketball team (8-16, 4-11 Big West) fell to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (18-7, 10-6 Big West), 74-58, Thursday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena. Erika Aspajo and Jite Gbemuotor led the Matadors with 11 points each. Saray White, Alondra Lizama and Morgan Edwards had nine as well.

HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUN opened up the game with back-to-back layups from White and Gbemuotor. UCSB then went on an 18-7 run as the Gauchos defense held the Matadors at bay. CSUN added three more points in the quarter, but the first stanza ended with a 23-14 lead in favor of UCSB.

In the second quarter, CSUN came out firing. The Matadors went on an 11-5 run, going 4-6 from the field in the process while cutting the lead to three at 28-25 with 3:39 left in the half. However, the Gauchos responded back with an 8-1 run to end the half, carrying a 10-point lead at 36-26.

SECOND HALF
CSUN came out of the break on an 11-4 run capped off by an Edwards three-pointer. The made shot pulled CSUN to within three at 40-37 at the 6:56 mark. UCSB countered with a 7-4 run to put the lead back up by six at 47-41 with 3:38 left to play in the quarter. No teams ended the quarter on a major run but UCSB stretched the lead to eight at 56-48 going into the game's final 10 minutes.

In the fourth quarter, Aspajo kicked things off with a driving a layup to cut the lead back to six. However, UCSB would then take control, going on a 14-5 run while stretching the lead to 15 at 70-55 with 1:58 remaining. The lead would be too much to overcome for the Matadors as UCSB held on to win.

NOTES OF THE GAME

This is the fourth consecutive game where Gbemuotor has scored in double-figures.
This was Aspajo's first game scoring in double figures since she scored 20 at UC San Diego on January 31.
CSUN went 12-14 from the free-throw line.
Zoe Borter of UCSB led all scorers with 20.
Gbemuotor, Aspajo, Lizama, Edwards and White combined for 49 of CSUN's 58 points.
Aspajo tied a career high with six steals.

UP NEXT
CSUN plays next on Saturday at Premier America Credit Union Arena when it takes on Long Beach State. Tip-off is at 2:00 p.m.